Land of smoke and ash

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the eruptions of Mount Sinabung, a volcano in Indonesia's north Sumatra province.

Sinabung lay dormant for centuries but became active again in 2010. Since September last year it has been periodically spewing massive clouds of gas and ash high into the atmosphere.

18 Nov 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Roni Bintang

Debris from the 2,460 metre-high volcano has travelled several kilometres from its crater.

Thousands of hectares of farming land have been affected by the eruptions and more than 22,000 people have fled their homes and are being housed in temporary shelters, the National Disaster Management Agency said.

6 Jan 2014. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/YT Haryono

Sinabung is one of nearly 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a country that straddles the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire".

Its eruptions have left swathes of the surrounding area coated in ash, creating eerie, colourless landscapes like the one pictured above.

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18 Sep 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/YT Haryono

Lightning strikes as Mount Sinabung spews ash and hot lava in the Karo district of Indonesia's North Sumatra province.

17 Sep 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Roni Bintang

A mother holds her child as Mount Sinabung erupts.

8 Jan 2014. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/YT Haryono

A resident carries her belongings as she is evacuated from Payung village after it was hit by ash from the volcano.

19 Nov 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Roni Bintang

The day after an eruption, a dog sits in the middle of a road in Mardingding village, where residents were evacuated.

19 Nov 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Roni Bintang

Fine volcanic ash covers a roof in the village. The nearby volcano continued to emit debris, throwing an 8,000 meter (26,247 foot) high plume into the atmosphere.

29 Nov 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Beawiharta

A woman clears ash from the roof of her house in Mardinding village.

8 Jan 2014. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Beawiharta

A child climbs onto a truck as residents are evacuated from Payung village.

8 Jan 2014. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Beawiharta

An elderly couple stands outside their house as they wait to be evacuated from the area.

6 Jan 2014. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Roni Bintang

A man in Tiga Pancur village covers his face with a plastic sheet to protect himself from volcanic ash.

25 Nov 2013. KARO, Indonesia. REUTERS/Beawiharta

A villager charges her mobile phone at a temporary shelter for those who were forced to flee the volcano.